if you accept a place at another graduate school and accept the financial aid package offered then get into your waitlist school what happens to your financial aid package? As i understood it you are only allowed to accept 1 package so hows this work out?

Well still waiting and hoping. Did what i could, submitted some extra info and wrote a letter promising to accept a place if offered but at this stage still no joy

The second deposit deadline appears to be 1st June according to the rules and polices:

Policy 1-7. Candidate Responses

To secure a place in the class, admitted applicants must submit two non-refundable deposits. The first deposit deadline for most admitted applicants is April 15, with the second deposit due June 1. Candidates who are accepted somewhat later than the majority of the admitted applicants are given a later deposit deadline to allow them a reasonable period of time to decide whether to make a commitment to attend Duke.

Approved by Admissions Committee October 1992.

I would assume therefore that most vacancies would occur around these dates as people are forced to make their mind up finally and submit larger sums of money. I am guessing that if nothing comes in the next 2 weeks then I can pretty much give it up. Bummer!

Did anyone else hear from them? Did anyone get in to Duke from the waitlist? did anyone get told they were on a priority waitlist? I understand it exists:

Policy 1-6. Discretionary List

Once the Committee has extended the agreed upon number of offers of admission, candidates in which the Committee remains interested are invited to remain on a waiting list for further action. Applicants on a wait list are not ranked, but the list is divided into a "priority wait list" of the most qualified candidates and a regular "wait list" for other highly qualified candidates. Applicants will be taken from these lists by the Director of Admissions in consultation with the Associate Dean as ended to fill the class to the targeted size. All wait list applicants are notified of admissions decisions as soon as possible.

Approved by Admissions Committee October 1992.

Do they tell you if you are rated as priority? Interested to hear from anyone else on Dukes list.

I got into Duke off the waitlist. There is a priority waitlist; I was put on it after a bit. My advice would be to contact the school A LOT - almost to the point where you feel like you're being a pain. I contacted the Dean of Admissions every couple weeks to check in and let him know how interested I continued to be in attending Duke. I sent in about 6 additional recommendations, a couple extra essays (informal email letters) on my other interests in Duke and law school that I wasn't able to convey in my original application, and I visited the school to meet with the admissions people. Visiting is probably out at this point in the game, but the idea is to let them know that if they chose you, you would definitely attend. They want to know that when they pick someone, they will be excited to attend and they will 100% accept the invitation. Good luck guys. I understand the waitlist pain. Feel free to ask more questions. I'd love to know who else got in off the waitlist and any numbers people have on the waitlist candidates (ie. how many people were on it? how many got accepted? how many got moved to the priority waitlist?)

My LSAT was a 160 (not near as high as I'd wanted or expected based on my practice exams) and my GPA was around a 3.8. I think what did it was my visit to the school where I was able to talk with Dennis Shields (Dean of Admissions) in the hallway randomly one day. He then knew me by name and I kept in touch with him and kept sending in stuff. My LSAT score definitely didn't help me. I'm happy to answer any other questions. Are you still on Duke's waitlist?

Good to know. If I'm waitlisted, and not flat out rejected, I plan on "doing the rounds" at all the schools I was admitted/waitlisted at. The admits are just to walk around, talk to some people and get a feel for the place. The waitlist visits will be all about kissing ass and trying to make a good impression with the people who count.